Promising Peace
Unit 3: Called to God's Work of Justice • Sermon • Submitted
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· 18 viewsOnly God offers true restoration and peace.
Notes
Transcript
Key Verse
Key Verse
15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
Introduction
Introduction
Lesson Context
Lesson Context
By one count, there are at least 30 men in the Bible by the name of Zechariah. The one who wrote the book of today's study was a Prophet from a priestly family.
His recorded ministry occurred after the Babylonian exile.
The dating of Zechariah is a time between late 520 BC and late 518 BC.
The setting in post-exilic Jerusalem is essential to understand the book of Zechariah.
20 years after the return from exile signs of Gods continued favors seemed to have disappeared.
Many of those who had returned from exile undoubtedly wondered if God had forgotten them .
Milestones
Milestones
Turn Back to God
The book of Zechariah begins with a challenge for God's people to turn back to Him, unlike their ancestors who rebelled, disobeyed and were exiled.
Eight Dream Visions
God spoke to His people through dream visions with bizarre images. The message included details about the New Jerusalem and a warning to remain faithful.
Grieving Exiles
Grieving exiles wondered if they could stop mourning the temple's destruction. Zechariah asked if they were ready to receive and participate in God's coming kingdom.
Messianic Kingdom
Through images of a Messianic king riding into the New Jerusalem and a rejected shepherd, Zechariah asks if the Israelites would reject their king forever.
The New Jerusalem
One day, the New Jerusalem will be established where God's justice would defeat evil, His people would repent and all nations would gather in peace.
Even though the book doesn't follow a neat, orderly pattern and contains scary and bizarre images, it shows glimpses of God's hand at work guiding history toward His own purposes. We can look above the chaos and hope for the coming of God's kingdom, which will motivate faithfulness in the present.
I. Stability (Zechariah 8:1-8)
I. Stability (Zechariah 8:1-8)
A. Return to Zion (vv. 1-3)
A. Return to Zion (vv. 1-3)
1 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,
The phrase the word of the Lord...came to occurs dozens of times in the Old Testament as a standard introduction to a prophecy.
Much rarer is inclusion of the description of host, most occurring in this book.
Compare
5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:
4 Then came the word of the Lord of hosts unto me, saying,
18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,
It serves to stress Gods Power.
God is therefore both fully present and fully capable to accomplish whatever he determined to do.
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy,
And I was jealous for her with great fury.
As if to doubly stress the Lord's power, the Prophet uses the phrase the Lord of host again.
This is a favorable phrase of Zechariah occurring more than 50 times in his book.
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy,
And I was jealous for her with great fury.
There is no doubt in the prophet's mind that the Lord has the right to be jealous for His people, they are His exclusively see
18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land,
And pity his people.
God's jealousy is a profound sense of caring and commitment.
This is even more apparent where a word in the original language is translated “jealousy” in one passage but “zeal” in another.
For example:
The Hebrew noun translated “jealous” here and “jealousy” in
3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
Is rendered “zeal” in
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom,
To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice
From henceforth even for ever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant,
And they that escape out of mount Zion:
The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.
The Greek noun translated “jealousy” in
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Is the same one translated “zeal” in
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Overlap the meaning is affirmed in English by a dictionary entry that offers one meaning of jealousy as “zealous vigilance.”
The common idea is one of fervency.
God's jealousy implies his right to protect his people and to be angry at those who would hurt them
14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease:
For I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
God will show what it means to have Him fully present in His infinite power, intent on keeping safe those who are His own.
3 Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion,
And will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem:
And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth;
And the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.
Zechariah’s ministry includes encouraging the returned exiles to finish rebuilding the temple
When God declares his intention to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, He refers to the temple as the specific place of his dwelling
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies:
My house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts,
And a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
Remember from last weeks lesson Zion can refer to the entire city of Jerusalem or to only the temple area. Both of these represent the entire nation.
For the returned exiles, God's presence signifies the restoration of his favor compare
8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice;
With the voice together shall they sing:
For they shall see eye to eye,
When the Lord shall bring again Zion.
and
10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion:
For, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.
3 Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion,
And will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem:
And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth;
And the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.
Though the Jews had suffered judgment. Zechariah reinforces God's intention on their behalf.
God's renaming of Jerusalem uses a term that evokes themes of loyalty and trustworthiness compare
26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first,
And thy counsellers as at the beginning:
Afterward thou shalt be called,
The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
and
16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.
Post-exilic Jerusalem is to have a reputation of residents who keep faith with one another.
That trustworthiness is to be without limit as the covenant between God and His people is fully honored.
In the New Testament, the “new Jerusalem” represents the final, complete fulfillment of God's intention
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
In this sense, the city reflects the mountain about which Zechariah prophecies next
3 Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion,
And will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem:
And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth;
And the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.
The renaming continues.
The mountain to which Zechariah refers to is the hill upon which the temple will be rebuilt.
To designate the mountain of the Lord of Host as the holy mountain serves to set it apart from normal human activity; it is to be reserved wholly for God's use.
Such an image of God's holy mountain shows up several times in prophecy in this regard.
see examples...
20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations
Upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts,
To my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord,
As the children of Israel bring an offering
In a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.
and
40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.
The redesignations of both the city and the Mountain project the idea of uncompromised loyalty to God - true faithfulness.
B. Restoration of Jerusalem (vv. 4-8)
B. Restoration of Jerusalem (vv. 4-8)
4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem,
And every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
A noticeable effect of God's active presence will be the longevity of God's people.
Only a country enjoying peace and stability sees its citizens reach old age.
Disease, war and injustice attack the hardest those least able to protect themselves, and this certainly includes those of advanced age.
But in the future prophesied, no one is neglected.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls
Playing in the streets thereof.
Similarly there will be no injustice in the city to threaten the safety of boys in girls.
Referring to the oldest and youngest is a way of expressing the totality of the security and stability in God's Kingdom compare
20 Their children also shall be as aforetime,
And their congregation shall be established before me,
And I will punish all that oppress them.
All God's people are to be deeply invested in extending His security and care toward one another.
From the last generation to the next, all are to be safe from harm. see
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance,
Both young men and old together:
For I will turn their mourning into joy,
And will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
This is a powerful promise for those who had experienced the violence of exile.
6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days,
Should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.
The new normal God is instituting is so marvelous as to seem fantastical, even impossible, to the original reader.
The original word being translated “marvelous” is also translated “wonders,” referring to miracles in
11 And forgat his works,
And his wonders that he had shewed them.
People will undoubtedly struggle to believe what God promises to do.
For God it is no problem; the Lord of Host has the power to fulfill each promise He makes.
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
Behold, I will save my people from the east country,
And from the west country;
Again we see the imagery of extremes.
The phrasing from the East...and from the West indicates a complete whole
compare
3 And gathered them out of the lands,
From the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
and
5 Fear not: for I am with thee:
I will bring thy seed from the east,
And gather thee from the west;
For the returned exiles, this likely recalls their fellow Israelites being taken into exile in Assyria, as well as other migrations that seem permanent.
The word translated save is frequently used in context of liberation from foreign oppressors
see
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem:
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God,
In truth and in righteousness.
To exist fully as God's people suggests there taking his characteristics of truth and righteousness as their own.
In the New Testament, God's intent to include gentiles is sharply clear.
Even so, that inclusion is nothing new, as underlined by quotations from the Old Testament in the New
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Zechariah prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment in the church.
II. Prosperity (Zechariah 8:11-17)
II. Prosperity (Zechariah 8:11-17)
A. Reversal of Fortunes (vv. 11-15)
A. Reversal of Fortunes (vv. 11-15)
11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts.
Here God moves the new normal a step further.
This time of restoration will not follow any pattern expected by the residue.
same word translated remnant in lesson 10.
Thus far, they have faced the uphill battles of reclaiming their land, rebuilding their heritage, and maintaining priorities while doing so
The result has been poor harvests and inadequate clothing.
12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
This promise reads like a reversal of the curse God put on all the earth after Adam and Eve's sinning
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
This promise of good harvests goes hand in hand with the promise of stability in the land.
That in turn implies no war, no raids and no political unrest to destroy the fruitfulness of land.
13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
God reminds people of his original promise to bless the nations through Abraham
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
They had been a curse and that while claiming to belong to God, they were disloyal and followed every kind of wrong behavior.
No one could have looked at pre-exilic Judah and understood either who God is or what belonging to him really means.
Instead of drawing the nations toward God, their behavior ridiculed Him.
But now God's people will prove His love and His power in this new normal of living in God's presence.
Just as Abraham was a blessing to the world by demonstrating a life lived and loyalty to God, so will they be.
Despite their history of disobedience, God promises restoration without fear of reprisal.
Hands is frequently a symbolic reference of strength and ability in the Old Testament.
To strengthen one hands is to renew one's power and motivation to act .
This results in a person being encouraged and empowered to act confidently in the service of God
14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the Lord of hosts, and I repented not:
God reiterates the old pattern of relationship that characterize Israel and Judah before their exiles.
We note that repented is not in the normal sense of “regret for having sinned,” since God is sinless.
Rather the ideal is that of “comfort” as the same Hebrew word is translated in
9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem:
For the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
Passages such as
27 For thus hath the Lord said,
The whole land shall be desolate;
Yet will I not make a full end.
28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black:
Because I have spoken it, I have purposed it,
And will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
Reveals God's former resolute intention to punish the people of the covenant.
In something of a parallel, the verse before us now reveals God's resolute intent to do the polar opposite.
16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.
God's people must reflect His character in their relationship.
This is why the theme of judgment (justice) and peace turn up again.
These two concepts go hand in hand and should define the lives of God's people.
The word gates refer to a city's entrance where legal issues were settled.
see
1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
To practice justice there is to set the proper example for everyone watching to do so as well.
There will be no bribes, no partiality shown to anyone.
For God to state what He hates establishes his boundaries of human behavior.
This Evening, you need to know
God dwells with Us
When a relationship needs to go from bad to good someone has to make the first move.
The text for today tells of a time when God did just that.
The bad relationship between God and his covenant people was wholly the fault of the people.
Logically, therefore, they should have made the first move.
But God in his compassion took the initiative, promising great things to his people.
And so it still is: God promises great things for us when we actually deserve quite the opposite.
He is determined to redeemed all who are willing to acknowledge Him as sovereign Lord.
The question is do you?